An Englishman's Travels in America by John Benwell

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Personal narrative and adventure has, of late years, become sointeresting a subject in the mind of the British public, that the authorfeels he is not called upon to apologize for the production of thefollowing pages.

It was his almost unremitting practice, during the four years he residedon the North American continent, to keep a record of what he consideredof interest around him; not with a view to publishing the matter thuscollected, for this was far from his thoughts at the time, but through along contracted habit of dotting down transpiring events, for thefuture amusement, combined, perhaps, with instruction, of himself andfriends. It therefore became necessary, to fit it for publication, tocollate the accumulated memoranda, and select such portions only asmight be supposed to prove interesting to the general reader. In doingthis he has been careful to preserve the phraseology as much aspossible, with a view to give, as far as he could, something like aliteral transcript of the sentiments that gave rise to the originalminutes, and avoid undue addition or interpolation.

It was the wish and intention of the writer, before leaving England, toextend his travels by visiting some of the islands in the Caribbean Sea,a course which he regrets not having been able to follow, fromunforeseen circumstances, which are partially related in the followingpages. He laments this the more, as it would have added considerably tothe interest of the work, and enabled him to enlarge upon that fertilesubject, the relative position at the time of the negro race in thoseislands, and the demoralized condition of their fellow-countrymen, underthe iniquitous system of slavery, as authorized by statute law, in thesouthern states of America. As it was, he was enabled to travel throughthe most populous parts of the states of New York and Ohio, proceeding,_via_ Cincinnati, to the Missouri country; after a brief stay at St.Louis, taking the direct southern route down the Missouri andMississippi rivers, to New Orleans in Louisiana, passing Natchez on theway. The whole tour comprising upwards of three thousand miles.

From New Orleans he crossed an arm of the Gulf of Mexico to theFloridas, and after remaining in that territory for a considerable time,and taking part under a sense of duty in a campaign (more to scatterthan annihilate), against the Seminole and Cherokee tribes of Indians,who, in conjunction with numberless fugitive slaves, from the districtsa hundred miles round, were devastating the settlements, andindiscriminately butchering the inhabitants, he returned to Tallahassee,taking stage at that town to Macon in the state of Georgia, and fromthence by the Greensborough Railway to Charleston in South Carolina,sailing after rather a prolonged stay, from that port to England.

Some of the incidents related in the following pages will be found tobear upon, and tend forcibly to corroborate, the miseries so patientlyendured by the African race, in a vaunted land of freedom andenlightenment, whose inhabitants assert, with ridiculous tenacity, thattheir government and laws are based upon the principle, "That all men inthe sight of God are equal," and the wrongs of whose victims have oflate been so touchingly and truthfully illustrated by that eminentphilanthropist, Mrs. Stowe, to the eternal shame of the upholders of thesystem, and the fearful incubus of guilt and culpability that willrender for ever infamous, if the policy is persisted in, the nationalityof America.

Well may the benevolent Doctor Percival in his day have said, whenwriting on the iniquitous system of slave holding and traffic, that"Life and liberty with the powers of enjoyment dependent on them are thecommon and inalienable gifts of bounteous heaven. To seize them by forceis rapine; to exchange for them the wares of Manchester or Birminghan isimprobity, for it is to barter without reciprocal gain, to give thestones of the brook for the gold of Ophir."

THE ENGLISHMAN IN AMERICA.

CHAPTER I.

"Adieu, adieu! my native shore Fades o'er the waters blue, The night-winds sigh, the breakers roar, And shrieks the wild sea-mew. Yon sun that sets upon the sea We follow in his flight; Farewell awhile to him and thee, My native Land--Good night!"--BYRON.

Late in the fall of the year 18--, I embarked on board the ship _Cosmo_,bound from the port of Bristol to that of New York. The season wasunpropitious, the lingering effects of the autumnal equinox rendering itmore than probable that the passage would be tempestuous. The resultsoon proved the correctness of this surmise, for soon after the vesseldeparted from Kingroad, and before she got clear of the English coast,we experienced boisterous weather, which was followed by a successionof gales, that rendered our situation perilous. But a partialdestruction of the rigging, the loss of some sheep on the deck of thevessel, and a slight indication of leakage, which was soon remedied bythe carpenter of the ship and his assistants, were happily the onlydetrimental consequences arising from the weather.

Our progress on the whole was satisfactory, although, when we arrivedbetween 48 and 52 degrees north latitude, we narrowly escaped coming incontact with an enormous iceberg, two of which were descried at daybreakby the "look-out," floundering majestically a little on the ship'slarboard quarter, not far distant, the alarm being raised by an uproaron deck that filled my mind with dire apprehension, the lee bulwarks ofthe vessel were in five minutes thronged with half-naked passengers, whohad been roused unexpectedly from their slumbers, staring in terror atthe frigid masses which we momentarily feared would overwhelm the ship.The helm being put up, we were soon out of the threatened danger of acollision, which would have consigned us to a grave in the wide widewaters, without the remotest chance of escape. This consideration was,to all on board, a matter of deep thankfulness to the mighty Author ofsuch stupendous wonders, who had so miraculously preserved our lives.Had the adventure occurred in the night, our destruction must have beeninevitable, as the ship was sailing under heavy canvas, within a singlepoint of the wake of one of the icebergs, which was drifting before astiff breeze.

Although this encounter proved harmless, we shortly after had another todread of a fearful nature. The number of fishing-boats off the coast ofNewfoundland, makes the navigation perilous at almost any time tovessels approaching too near the banks, and after night-fall, the vesselgoing at the rate of ten knots an hour with a smacking breeze, we passedmany of these at anchor, or rather, I suppose, riding on the waves; theydisplayed lights, or serious consequences might have ensued. Some of theskiffs were so near to us, that as I leaned over the ship'squarter-rail, dreading, and every moment expecting, that we should runone down, I could distinctly hear the crews hailing us to shorten sailand keep off. By adopting this course our vessel cleared the danger, andafter slightly touching the banks, which caused the vessel to heel, andcreated a momentary panic on board amongst the passengers, she wassteered more out to sea, and by the following morning nothing was to beseen but a boundless waste of waters, extending as far as the eye couldreach.

After these temporary alarms, with the exception of baffling winds,which impeded the progress of the ship, and lengthened the duration ofour confinement ten days or a fortnight, our voyage was prosperous,little occurring to break the monotony of confinement on ship-board thatis experienced in sea-passages in general; the only excitement being afracas between the captain and cook, owing to complaints made by themiddle-cabin and steerage passengers, which nearly ended fatally to theformer, who would have been stabbed to a certainty, but for a by-standerwresting the knife from the hand of the enraged subordinate, who hadbeen supplied too liberally with spirits by the passengers; apredominating evil on board all emigrant ships, from the drawback ofduty allowed on spirits shipped as stores, and which are retailed on thevoyage to the passengers. The culprit was confined below during theremainder of the voyage, and when we arrived at New York presented apitiable sight, having been rigidly debarred by the captain's orders ofmany of the commonest necessaries, I believe, the whole time. Here hewas released and discharged from the ship, glad enough to escape furtherpunishment, "prosecution" having been, since the occurrence, held _interrorem_ over him.

It was late in the afternoon of an intensely cold day, which caused thespray to congeal as it dashed against the bulwarks and cordage of thevessel, that we descried with great pleasure looming indistinctly in thedistance, the shores of Sandy Hook, a desolate-looking island, near thecoast of New Jersey, about seven miles south of Long Island Sound. Thisthe captain informed me was formerly a peninsula, but the isthmus wasbroken through by the sea in 1767, the year after the declaration ofAmerican independence, an occurrence which was at the time deemedominous of the severance of the colonies from the mother country, andwhich proved in reality to be the precursor of that event.

The sight of _terra firma_, though at a distance and but gloomy inaspect, put all on board in buoyant spirits; but these were buttransitory, our enthusiasm being soon damped by a dense fog, resemblingthose the Londoners are so accustomed to see in the winter, and which inan incredibly short space of time, in this instance, obscured everythingaround. Our proximity to the shore rendered the circumstance hazardousto us, and it appeared necessary that the vessel's head should be againput seaward; but this the captain was evidently anxious to avoid, as itinvolved the risk of protracting the voyage. A general rummage forammunition was therefore ordered, and a supply of this necessary havingbeen obtained, the ship's carronade was after considerable delay put inorder, and minute guns were fired. After discharging some thirty roundsor more, we were relieved from the state of anxiety we were in by apilot hailing the ship, and in a minute after he was on deck issuingorders with great pertinacity.

It is impossible for any one unaccustomed to sea voyages to form a justconception of the relief afforded by the presence of that importantfunctionary, a pilot. Perhaps a captain's greatest anxiety is, when hisvessel, having braved a thousand perils on the deep, is about to enteron the termination of its voyage. On the broad expanse of ocean, or, innautical phrase, with plenty of sea-room, if his bark is in goodcondition, he fears little or nothing, but when his vessel approachesits goal, visions of disaster arise before him, and he becomes anxious,thoughtful, and taciturn.

The pilot informed us that he had kept our vessel in chase for aconsiderable time, and had burnt a number of newspapers on the deck ofhis cutter to attract attention, but all his efforts proved unavailing,when just as he was about to abandon the pursuit, he descried and hailedthe ship. This being the first specimen of an American whom many of thepassengers had seen in his native climate, their curiosity was aroused,and they crowded round him, regarding every word and movement with thegreatest attention and interest. The pilot was evidently displeased withbeing made "a lion" of, and gave vent to his feelings rather freely,while there was a curl of hauteur on his lip, that indicated a speciesof contempt for the company he was in. This disposition did not convey avery favourable idea of his countrymen, and was, to say the least of it,an ill-judged display before strangers; coming, however, as it did, froman illiterate man, belonging, as I knew from previous inquiry, to ratheran exceptional class of individuals in America, I did not suffer my mindto be biassed, although I could see that many of the passengers were notdisposed to view the matter in the same light. He was a brusque anduncouth man, of swaggering gait, about forty years of age, above themiddle stature, and soon let the captain and crew know, by hisauthoritative manner and volubility of tongue, that he was chief incommand on the occasion. No one seemed, however, to dispute this, forthe passengers looked on him as a sort of divinity sent to their rescue;the ship's hands were implicitly obedient, and the captain very soonafter his arrival retired into the cabin, glad to be relieved from aheavy responsibility.

The following morning, the haze having cleared off, we could again seethe Jersey shore. The sea in every direction was now darkened withmillions of black gulls, wild ducks, and other aquatic birds; we shotmany of these from the ship's deck, but were, much to our mortification,obliged to see them drift away, the pilot, seconded by our austerecaptain, strenuously objecting to a boat being lowered; this was verydiscouraging, as such a change in our diet would, after a ratherprolonged voyage, have been acceptable.

A favourable breeze soon carried our good ship to the quarantine ground,where we dropped anchor, in no little anxiety lest we should bedetained. The medical officers from the college, or rather sanatoryestablishment, on shore, almost immediately came on board. All handswere mustered on deck, and ranged like soldiers on parade ground bythese important functionaries, who, I may remark by the way, appearedlike our pilot to be possessed of considerable notions of power andauthority. After taking a rather cursory inspection they left thevessel, and we, to our great joy (a case of small pox having occurredduring the passage), were allowed to proceed towards New York, which wedid under easy sail, the breeze rendering a steam-tug unnecessary.

The scenery as we passed up the river was calculated to give a goodimpression of the country, the zest being, however, without doubt,greatly heightened by the monotonous dreariness of a tempestuous voyage.The highlands and valleys, as we sailed up, had a verdant woodyappearance, and were interspersed with rural and chateau scenery; herdsof cattle remarkable for length of horn, and snow-white sheep, weregrazing placidly in the lowlands. The country, as far as I could judge,seemed in a high state of culture, and the farms, to use an expressionof the celebrated Washington Irving's, when describing, I think, afarm-yard view in England, appeared "redolent of pigs, poultry, andsundry other good things appertaining to rural life."

On arriving at the approach to the entrance or mouth of the riverHudson, which is formed by an arm of the estuary, we turned thepromontory, leaving Jersey on the left, the battery as we entered theharbour being in the foreground. The guns-bristled from this fortresswith menacing aspect, and the sentinels, in light blue uniforms andKosciusko caps, silently paced the ramparts with automatic regularity.This fortification, though formidable in appearance, and certainly in acommanding position, I was subsequently informed is little more than amimic fort; this arises from the want of attention paid to defences ofthe kind in America, the little existing chance of invasion, perhaps,causing the indifference to the subject. If, however, the spirit ofaggressive conquest shown by the federal government, of late years, ofwhich the invasion of Mexico is a fair specimen, should continue todevelop itself, it is not difficult to foresee that it will be necessarypolicy to pay greater attention to the subject, and to keep in a moreeffective state the seaboard defences of the country, as well as theirarmy, which is at present miserably deficient. This has heretofore beenso far neglected, as regards the marine, that not long before I arrivedthe commander of a French ship of war was much chagrined, on firing asalute as he passed the battery at New York, to find that his courtesywas not returned in the customary way. He complained of the omission aseither a mark of disrespect to himself, or an insult to his nation, whenit came out in explanation that the garrison was in such a defectivestate that there were not the appliances at hand to observe thisnational etiquette.

The city of New York is built almost close to the water's edge, with abroad levee or wharf running round a great portion of it. Its generalappearance gives to a stranger an impression of its extent andimportance. It has been aptly and accurately described as a dense packof buildings, comprising every imaginable variety, and of all knownorders of modernized architecture. The tide flows close up to thewharves which run outside of the city, and differs so little in heightat ebb or flow, that vessels of the largest class ride, I believe, atall times as safely as in the West India docks in London, or theimperial docks of Liverpool. Here was assembled an incalculable numberof vessels of all sizes and all nations, forming a beautiful andpicturesque view of commercial enterprise and grandeur, perhaps outvyingevery other port in the world, not excepting Liverpool itself.

As our vessel could not at once be accommodated with a berth, owing tothe crowded state of the harbour, she was moored in the middle of thestream, and being anxious to go on shore, I availed myself of thecaptain's offer to take me to the landing-place in his gig. We went onshore in an alcove, at the foot of Wall-street, and I experienced themost delightful sensation on once more setting foot on _terra firma_,after our dreary voyage. The day, notwithstanding it was now October,was intensely hot (although a severe frost for two or three days beforegave indications of approaching winter), and the streets beingunmacadamized, had that arid look we read of in accounts of the plainsof Arabia, the dust being quite deep, and exceeding in quantity anythingof the kind I had ever seen in European cities: clouds of itimpregnated the air, and rendered respiration and sight difficult.

Hundreds of rudely-constructed drays were passing to and fro, heavilyladen with merchandize, many of them drawn by mules, and the remainderby very light horses of Arabian build; the heavy English dray horse wasnowhere to be seen, the breed as I afterwards learned not beingcultivated, from a dislike to its ponderousness.

The lower part of Wall-street presented a busy mart-like appearance,every description of goods being piled heterogeneously before thewarehouse-doors of their respective owners in the open thoroughfare,which is at this part very wide. Auctioneers were here busily engaged inthe disposal of their merchandise, which comprised every variety ofproduce and manufacture, home and foreign, from a yard oflinsey-woolsey, "hum spun" as they termed it, to a bale of Manchesterlong cloth, or their own Sea-Island cotton. The auctioneer in America isa curious specimen of the biped creation. He is usually a swaggering,consequential sort of fellow, and drives away at his calling withwondrous impudence and pertinacity, dispensing, all the while he isselling, the most fulsome flattery or the grossest abuse on those whostand around. One of these loquacious animals was holding forth to acrowd, just below the _Courier and Inquirer_ newspaper office, wherethe street widens, as a preliminary introduction to the sale of aquantity of linen goods that had been damaged at a recent fire in theneighbourhood. I could not help admiring the man's tact. Fixing his eyeson an individual in a white dress, with an enormous Leghorn hat on hishead, who was apparently eagerly listening, while smoking a cigar, tothe harangue, he suddenly exclaimed, "There now is Senator Huff, fromthe State of Missouri, he heerd of this vendue a thousand mile up river,and wall knows I'm about to offer somethin woth having; look at him, hecould buy up the fust five hunderd folks hed cum across anywhar in thiscity, and what's more, he's a true patriot, made o' the right kinderstuff, I guess."

He followed up the eulogium at great length, and after liberallydispensing "soft soap" on the listeners, declared the auction hadcommenced. I stood by for some minutes, gazing around and watching theoperations, and was not long in discovering that Senator Huff keptrunning up the articles by pretended bids, and was evidently in leaguewith him, in fact a confederate. This auctioneer was the very emblem ofbuffoonery and blackguardism; the rapidity with which he repeated thesums, supposed by the bystanders to be bid, the curt yet extravagantpraise bestowed on his wares, and his insulting and unsparing remarks ifa comment were made on the goods he offered, or if the company did notrespond in bidding, stamped him as one of the baser sort of vulgarians.

Sales of this description were going on in every direction, and thestreet rang with the stentorian voices of the sellers. Many of thesewere mock auctions, as an observer of any intelligence would detect, andas I ascertained beyond doubt almost directly after leaving this man'sstand; for, stepping into an open store close at hand, of which thereare ranges on either side of the street, a sale of jewellery and watcheswas going on. A case of jewellery, containing, among other things, agold watch and chain, apparently of exquisite workmanship, was put upjust as I entered, and was started at six cents per article. Bid afterbid succeeded, until, at last, the lot was knocked down to a southerngentleman present at fifty cents per item. On making the purchase, henaturally wished to know how many articles the box contained. Thisinformation, on the plea that it would delay the sale, was withheld. Theauctioneer, however, insisted on the payment of a deposit of fiftydollars, in compliance with the published conditions of the sale, whichsum, after a demur on the part of the purchaser, was paid. I could see,however, that he was now sensible he had been duped, and I afterwardslearnt that some forty or fifty articles, of almost every fancydescription, many of them worthless, such as pins, knives, tweezers, anda variety of other knick-knacks, were artfully concealed from view, bymeans of a false bottom to the case; this being lifted up revealed thetruth. The man was greatly enraged on finding he had been cheated, butwas treated with the most audacious coolness, and after some altercationleft the store, as he said, to seek redress elsewhere, but I have nodoubt he went off with the intention of losing his deposit.

This occurrence put me on my guard, and made me very wary of buyingarticles at such auctions during my stay in New York, although theapparent beauty and cheapness of many of the articles I saw offered,especially of French manufacture, were sufficient to decoy the mostwary, and I did not wonder at people being victimized at such places.Emigrants are the chief sufferers, I was told, by such transactions,from their want of caution, and ignorance of the arts of theaccomplished deceivers who conduct them.

Proceeding up Wall-street in the direction of Broadway, I reached thatportion of it frequented by stock and real-estate brokers. Here crowdsof gentlemanly-looking men, dressed mostly in black, and of busy mien,crowded the thoroughfare with scrip in hand. Each appeared intenselyabsorbed in business, and as I gazed on the assemblage, I coulddiscover unmistakable symptoms of great excitement and mental anxiety,the proportion of rueful countenances being much greater than is usuallyseen in similar places of resort in England; a sudden depression in themarket at the time might, however, account for much of this, although itis well known that brokers and speculators on the American continentengage in the pursuit with the avidity of professed gamblers.

Hundreds of Negroes were hurrying to and fro through the streets, thesewere chiefly labourers, decently dressed, and employed either as draymenor porters. They looked happier than labourers in England; and, beingbathed in a profuse perspiration from the heat of the weather, theirfaces shone almost like black satin or patent leather.

After a few days' rest at my boarding-house, to which I was recommendedby a touter, and which was in Canal-street, and was kept by a "cute"Down-easter, or native of the New England States, with whom I engagedfor bed and board for eight dollars per week, I sallied forth to make myintended observations, preparatory to leaving for the west. Everythingwore a novel aspect. The number of foreigners seen in the thoroughfares,the tawdry flimsily-built carriages, which strangely contrast with themore substantial ones seen in England, and the dresses of the people,all seemed strange to me. The habiliments of one or two in particularrivetted my attention. The first was a Kentuckian, who was dressed in asuit of grey home-spun cloth, and wore on his head a fantastical cap,formed of a racoon-skin, beautifully striped, the ears projecting justabove his forehead on each side, while the forefeet of the animal,decorated with red cloth, formed the ear-laps, and the tail dependedover his back like a quieu, producing a ludicrous effect. His appearanceas he passed along attracted little notice, such vagaries being commonin America. My attention was also arrested by a person who was arrayedin a hunting suit of buck-skin, curiously wrought with strips of dyedporcupine-quill, and who wore an otter-skin cap and Indian moccasins.There, is, however, little novelty in this costume, which I frequentlysaw afterwards. Caps of the description I have mentioned are commonlyworn in the interior. I subsequently donned one myself, and found it anadmirable adjunct to easy travelling.

During my stay at New York, I found the heat almost overpowering, theIndian summer (as the period between autumn and winter is there termed)having set in. An umbrella was quite a necessary appendage at times, toavoid its effects, which are often fatal to Europeans at the time of thesummer solstice.

In perambulating the city of New York, its appearance is prepossessingto a visitor; the streets are well laid out, and are wide and regular,the houses being for the most part of the better class. The white or redpaint (the latter predominates), and the green and white jalousie,venetian, and siesta blinds, giving a picturesqueness to the scene.Handsome mats lie outside the doors of many of the better description ofhouses.

Broadway is the principal place of attraction in New York, but it has sooften been described by visitors, that it is a work of supererogation tocomment much upon it here; as, however, every tourist can see anddescribe differently the same objects, I must not pass it in silence,especially as it ranks in the view of the New Yorkers, something asBond-street and Regent-street do in the metropolis of England. It is,however, far inferior to these; it is not one, but a continuous line ofstreets, and, including Canal-street, extends about three miles inlength. The Haarlem Railway comes down a considerable portion of theupper part, the rails being laid in the centre of the street The lowerend of Broadway merges into the Battery Park, which is situated at thewater's edge. In Broadway are to be seen magnificent hotels, theatres,magazines-de-mode, and all the etceteras of a fashionable mart, notomitting to mention crowds of elegantly dressed ladies and exquisitelyattired gentlemen, including many of colour; the latter appearing in theextreme of the fashion, with a redundancy of jewellery which,contrasting with their sable colour, produces to the eye of a strangeran unseemly effect. The shops and stores are fitted up in the Parisianstyle, appear well attended by customers, and are crowded with thechoicest description of goods.

Astor's Hotel, built by the so-called millionaire of that name, is alarge but rather heavy-looking pile of building, and forms a conspicuousobject in the park. Here many of the elite from the provinces sojourn onvisiting the city. The accommodations are stated to be of the firstorder, and, from a cursory inspection, I should imagine this to be true,the only drawback being the enormous prices charged, exceeding, I wastold, the ordinary run of first-class houses of that description.Noticing from the opposite side of the street that the entrance was muchcrowded, curiosity led me to cross over and ascend the steps and listento what was going on, supposing it some political demonstration; inthis, however, I was mistaken, for I found that the cause of thecommotion was the recent arrival and presence of the celebratedstatesman and lawyer, Daniel Webster, _en route_ to Washington, whitherhe was called by Congressional duties. I pressed forward to shake handswith this great expounder of American laws, as he is called by thecitizens, who seemed, by the way, on the occasion I refer to, to regardhim as a sort of divinity. I could not, however, succeed in getting nearenough to accomplish my object, although I strove hard for it. It wasquite amusing to see the anxiety shown by some of those present toeffect the same purpose. The senator kept shaking hands with all around,repeating over and over again, "Glad to see you, citizens, glad to seeyou." Amongst others, a gentlemanly-dressed negro with a gold-headedcane pressed forward and held out his hand. There was, however, nochance for him in the throng, for he was rudely pushed back, and I heardseveral angry exclamations of disapprobation from the crowd, at theliberty he had taken, one individual in particular crying out, "Kickthat nigger off, what has he to do here." These exclamations caught theear of the negro gentleman, and he shrunk back in an instant, as ifelectrified. Mr. Webster was a yeoman-like looking person, of rather amuscular-build, and at one time of life was, no doubt, as I have heard,possessed of great physical powers; he had a heavy and rather downcastturn of features, which were not improved by a pair of enormous blackeyebrows; there was, however, an expression in his physiognomy thatindicated deep thought, and a degree of intelligence above themediocrity. In addition to this, there was also a pleasing urbanity inhis manner that was certainly contrary to what might have been expectedfrom his personal appearance and known burly character in business. Hegradually retreated up the steps towards the interior of the hotel, theexcessive attentions paid by the crowd appearing troublesome to him. Hewas closely followed, however, by his admirers, whose boisterousbehaviour savoured much more of enthusiasm than deference or politeness.I had heard that the Americans profess never to do things by halves, andso set this instance down as a proof of their propensity to "go thewhole hog," as they are wont to term their extremes and eccentricities.

The Town-hall, situate at the base of the Park, which is a triangularpiece of land, well laid out and neatly kept, is a light edifice of sometaste and architectural merit, its chief attraction being the whitemarble of which it is constructed, and which is brought from thequarries at Sing-Sing, some miles up the river Hudson. The effect,however, is not good; its exposure to the elements having given it ablurred or chalky appearance. It is surmounted by a small but elevatedcupola, constructed of wood, which some time ago, I was informed by acitizen, caught fire at a pyrotechnic exhibition, and endangered thewhole edifice, since which, displays of fire-works have been prohibitedin the Park by the civic authorities. At the entrance there is aspacious vestibule, but this, as well as the interior, though elegant inits simplicity of style, is meagre of ornament. Proceeding to theinterior, I reached the criminal court, where a squalid-looking prisonerwas undergoing trial for murder. The judges and officers of the courtwere almost entirely without insignia of office, and the counselemployed, I thought, evinced much tact in their proceedings, especiallyin the cross-examination of witnesses, although they manifested greatacerbity of feeling towards each other, and their acrimonious remarkswould not, I imagine, have been allowed to pass without remonstrance inan English court of justice. I was told by a by-stander, with whom Ientered into conversation, that if found guilty, the prisoner would beconducted to an underground apartment used for the purpose, andprivately executed, the law of the State of New York, from motives thatought to be appreciated in England, prohibiting public executions. It isalso customary there to allow criminals more time than in England, toprepare for the awful change they are doomed to undergo.

I was informed by a friend that there are some very astute lawyers inAmerica, and I subsequently had opportunities to test the accuracy ofthe remark. Their code, however, differs materially from the English,although professing to be based upon its principles; and has thepreeminent advantage of being pretty free from the intricacies andincongruities that so often tend to defeat justice in themother-country, and render proceedings at law so expensive andperplexing. The slave laws (called the "_codenoir_"), adapted for theSouthern States, must, however, be excepted, for it is notorious, thatto subserve the ends of interested parties, they have been framed so asto present what may with propriety be termed a concatenation ofentanglement and injustice to the slave subjects; the very wording ofmany of these enactments, carrying unmistakable evidence of their beingconcocted for the almost sole protection of the slave-owners.

Adjoining the Town-hall, or separated only by an avenue, is a heavy,monastic-looking building, used as a bridewell, and called the CityPenitentiary. Having remained a considerable time in the hall where thetrial was going on, the agonized state of the prisoner and sickeningdetails of the murder caused a disinclination for the present tocontinue my perambulations, so I stepped into the Cafe del'Independence, in Broadway, and called for a port-wine sangaree,endeavouring, while I sipped it, smoked a cigar, and read the _Courierand Inquirer_, to forget the scene I had just witnessed. Leaving soonafter, I pursued my way down Broadway, passing Peel's Museum and theAstor House, to the Battery Marine Promenade. This is a delightful spot,the finest in point of situation (although not in extent) of the kind Iever saw, the Esplanade at Charleston in South Carolina, of which Ishall have by-and-by to speak more particularly, being excepted.

Ladies and gentlemen were promenading up and down, under the umbrageousfoliage of the lofty trees which skirt the Battery Park, and which wereas yet unscathed by the recent frosts, forming a delightful retreat fromthe scorching rays of an American sun. The sea view from this point,with the adjacent scenery, is interesting and attractive; the broadexpanse of ocean in the distance, the highlands looming in theperspective, the numerous aquatic birds skimming the surface of theestuary, and the picturesque fort and woody shores of New Jersey, alltending to diversify the scene and add to its natural beauty. Iafterwards visited this place over and over again, and every succeedingvisit added to my admiration and enhanced its attractions. To the leftlies, in panoramic grandeur, the harbour, literally teeming with shipsof all sizes and all nations; while, on the right, the entrance of themajestic Hudson or north river, with crowds of magnificent steamers,traders to Troy, Albany, and the West, forms a prominent feature in thatdirection. The passing and repassing of steamers and other vessels ofhome-traffic, and the more exciting arrival of ships from foreign parts,give a zest to the scene which must be witnessed to be fullyappreciated.

A day or two after, having obtained, through a friend, leave ofadmission, I crossed over to Brooklyn, and visited the Navy-yard. Thedocks of this establishment contained, at this time, many specimens ofAmerican naval architecture of choice description; amongst the rest, afrigate and several other ships of war lying in ordinary. Everythingappeared to indicate good management and efficiency, as far as alandsman could judge. This was very discernible on board the vessels wewere allowed to inspect, where the utmost order and cleanlinessprevailed. The officers, I thought, seemed to exact great deference fromthe men, and their martinet bearing ill accorded with a republicanservice, being decidedly more marked than on board British ships of warwhich I had visited at Deptford, Chatham, and elsewhere in England.Probably a stricter discipline may be found necessary, on account of theequality that exists in America, which might operate to render thoseunder command more difficult of control, if such independence wereallowed to be manifested.

I found that the army and navy, in America, are chiefly manned byEnglish, Dutch and Irish, not a few Poles being in the ranks of theformer: these are impelled, through lack of employment, and theadditional inducement of a tolerably liberal pay, to join the service.The Americans themselves are too sensible of the inconveniencesattending public services, as well as too acute, to follow suchoccupations in time of peace, though when danger has threatened, theyhave always shown themselves at the instant service of the State, and ascitizen soldiers are not, perhaps, to be equalled in any other country.

From the Navy-yard I proceeded to Hoboken; this is a place of greatresort in fine weather, and is situate nearly opposite the city of NewYork, or rather the eastern part of it. Here I found assembled a largecompany of pleasure-seekers in holiday attire, some lounging under thetrees, others in groups at pic-nic, and not a small proportion of thegentlemen regaling themselves at the refreshment stalls or temporarycafes, erected on the grounds, on mint juleps and iced sangarees. Thegrounds are interspersed with park, woodland, and forest scenery, andare kept in admirable order, the managers studying to maintain theappearance of original nature, and to impress on the mind of thevisitor, that he is ruralizing, far from city life, amongst primevalforest shades; the contiguous scenery is not, however, calculated tocarry out the idea. It is quite the custom for American husbands toleave their families for the day, and enjoy relaxation in their own way,a practice that I apprehend would not be sanctioned by our Englishladies, any more than it would be resorted to by English gentlemen, frommotives of kindly and very proper feeling. Here, in a retired spot, isthe duelling ground, which has attained no little notoriety in thatlatitude, as the spot where many a knotty point has been quietly solvedby the aid of a pair of pistols or Colt's rifles; although, for thecredit of the citizens of New York and its neighbourhood, it must berecorded that they are not so ready to fly to this disgracefulalternative as their ensanguined brethren in the Southern or SlaveStates.

My stay in New York being limited by previous arrangements, I wasanxious to get back to the city, although a day might well be taken upin ruralizing, and exploring the Arcadian beauties of Hoboken, thefavourite resort of the citizens of New York. So, after a pretty generalthough cursory survey of its attractions, I recrossed, as I had come, ina ferry propelled by steam. The construction of this boat, a whole fleetof which description were busily plying to and fro, being unique, andunlike any I had seen before, I must not pass it over without remark. Inprinciple it consisted of two barge-like vessels placed side by side, aplatform being laid on the top, for the engine, passengers, andsteersman; the latter, as in all American steam-vessels, of whateversize, being perched in an elevated round-house on deck. The stem andstern of this vessel were alike, the necessity of turning being thusaltogether obviated, as in some of the steam-boats on the Thames.

A practice prevails amongst newspaper publishers in America, which is, Ibelieve, only resorted to in England in cases of public emergency orunusual excitement, and that but seldom; I mean that of posting on largeplacards the latest arrival of news, home or foreign: thus, whenever youreturn home after a sojourn in the city, the eager inquiry is sure tobe, "Any news up town?" This custom keeps up a lively interest inpassing events, and disseminates amongst the citizens at large, thecurrent news of the day, and if it has no other beneficial effects,prevents rumours, that commonly circulate in times of public excitementto the detriment often of many individuals in crowded communities. Inoticed the walls of New York thickly posted with placards chiefly of aninflammatory political character. Many of these breathed agrarianprinciples, that would in Europe have been inadmissible, and would,without doubt, have led to the immediate arrest and imprisonment of theauthors. Here, however, they are but little noticed by the populace, andnot at all, I believe, by the authorities. Cheap newspapers are pushedinto the face of the passer-by, at the corner of every principalthoroughfare, the prices varying from two to six cents. These, as may besupposed, contain, together with the current news, every description ofscandal and trash imaginable, their personality being highly offensive,injurious, and reprehensible. Thus the freedom of the press is abused inevery part of America, and this powerful engine of "good or ill"converted from a benefit (as it is if managed with propriety) into apublic nuisance.

One peculiarity, exceedingly annoying to an Englishman, which isobservable even in good society in New York and elsewhere in America, isa prying curiosity as to the affairs of those with whom they converse.Their habits at table also often fill one with disgust, and the want ofgood-breeding I witnessed on more than one occasion would have beenresented in England. This is the more remarkable, as the Americansentertain high notions of refinement, and yet, paradoxical as it mayappear, seem to glory in their contempt of good manners. I do not,however, include the ladies in this remark; on the contrary, I mustunequivocally assert, that I always observed in them, not only in NewYork, but in every other part of the North American continent which Ivisited, the greatest disposition to cover the misdoings of the oppositesex, and a great degree of cultivation and politeness; although they areperfectly freezing in their manners before formal introduction, I do notdoubt that there are many among them of great refinement and powers ofintellect, their personal appearance being also consonant with theirknown amiability.

The bustle and drive in the trading quarters of the city is very great.The merchants and their assistants have a hurried manner of doingbusiness, discernible in a moment to a stranger, which is much to bedeprecated, and too often leads, as I afterwards found, to disastrousresults. Business with these men is in general quite a "go-a-head" sortof affair, and not being accompanied with method, in many cases leads toan embarrassed state of circumstances. Thus it frequently happens, thaton investigation, the assets of a merchant who has stopped payment andis a supposed bankrupt, realize more than enough to pay the creditors,and the party finds to his agreeable surprise, that his position is notso bad after all.

The churches and other places of public worship in New York have atemporary appearance, the steeples of the former being, when I visitedthe city, chiefly of painted-wood. This, I believe, is partly the reasonwhy bells are not used, although a friend in whose presence I noticedthis, stated that contempt for so English a custom had much to do withtheir disuse. If so, the prejudice is not confined to New York alone,for I was not cheered by the inspiriting sound of a peal in any otherpart of the Union I visited, although I think I have heard they are inuse in Philadelphia and some of the eastern cities.

The time I had allotted to remain in New York having expired, and beinganxious to proceed on my route before the close of navigation, Ireluctantly bade adieu to my kind friends in that city, and madepreparations to pursue my way to the more western part of the Union,hoping to reach the Mississippi country before the season when therivers and canals leading to it would be locked up in ice.

CHAPTER II.

"See how yon flaming herald treads The ridged and rolling waves, As, crashing o'er their crested heads, She bows her surly slaves; With foam before and fire behind, She rends the clinging sea, That flies before the roaring wind, Beneath her hissing lea." HOLMES--_The Steam Boat_.

My first stage, in proceeding to the interior of the country, was toAlbany, 160 miles north of New York. To effect this, I took passage, onboard a splendidly-equipped steamer, called the _Narraganset_, andesteemed at the time the swiftest boat on the Hudson River. I mustconfess I was rather timid when I did so, for the reckless manner inwhich the crack boats are run, in order to maintain their character forcelerity, is proverbial, and, as may be supposed, is little consonantwith safe travelling. The almost constant recurrence of steam-boatexplosions and consequent sacrifice of life, reports of which are dailyto be seen in the newspapers, weighed somewhat heavily on my mind, andthe latent fear was not lessened by seeing four barrels of pitch rolledon board, the very moment I set foot on the deck of the _Narraganset_. Ihad to console myself, however, as I best could under the circumstances,and trust to Providence; but had it not been for the payment of my fare,which had previously been arranged, and its inevitable loss if I stoppedbehind, I believe I should have declined the passage, from my horror ofa race. Although, before the boat got under weigh, my lurking fears ofexplosion were great, they were much enhanced just after starting, inconsequence of an opposition boat being loosed from her moorings at thesame minute that our vessel got clear of the levee. This accounted forthe barrels of pitch I had seen on deck, the heads of which were knockedout just as we entered the Hudson, and a portion of the contents thrownwith the fuel into the roaring furnaces; this powerful generator ofcaloric of course gave increased rapidity to the motion of the engines,and in a couple of hours we left our opponent far behind.

It is remarkable that, although the Americans, as a people, travelmore, perhaps, than any other nation, so little attention is paid bythem to safety in transit. It is openly avowed that nothing is morecommon than steam-boat explosions and steam disasters of various kindsthroughout this vast continent; and where boats are constructed to carry1000 or 1200 passengers, as is usual on the American rivers, the loss oflife, in case of accident, is fearful to contemplate. I am aware thatthe subject has been discussed in Congress, and that the question ofremedial measures has occupied the attention of the Executive duringseveral successive Presidentships; but still the evil remains, and thepublic mind in America is almost daily agitated by disasters of thisnature. As long as the rampant spirit of competition and desire tooutvie their fellows, which prevails amongst a large class of Americans,is tacitly, if not openly, encouraged by the governing powers, such astate of things must exist, and will probably increase; but it is apositive disgrace to a country possessing great natural attractions,and, on this account, visited by many foreigners, that they should bythis system be exposed to daily peril of their lives. The acts ofCongress lately promulgated, although apparently stringent, arevirtually a dead letter, in consequence of the facilities for evasion,and the ingenuity of the offenders. The effort to outrun a rival isattended by an insane excitement, too often participated in by thepassengers, who forget for the time that they are in a similar situationto a man sitting on a barrel of gunpowder within a few feet of a ragingfurnace. I frequently found myself in such a position, in consequence ofthis dangerous propensity, and the remedy suggested to my mind, andwhich I recommend to others, was never to take a passage, on Americanwaters, in a first-class steam-boat, as the principle acted upon is tomaintain the character of a first-rater at all hazards, regardless ofthe life or limbs of the helpless passengers.

The _Narraganset_, like most of the large river steamers, wasconstructed with three decks, and fitted up in sumptuous style. Onelarge saloon, with a portion partitioned off for the ladies, serving asa cabin and dining apartment. There is no professed distinction of classin the passengers on board steam-boats in America. I found, however,that the higher grades, doubtless from the same causes that operate inother parts of the world, kept aloof from those beneath them.

The scene from the upper or hurricane deck (as it is called) was veryattractive. Flowing, as the river Hudson does, through a finemountainous country, the magnificent scenery on the banks strikes theobserver with feelings allied to awe. The stream being broad andtortuous, beetling crags, high mountains and bluffs, and dense forests,burst suddenly and unexpectedly into view; fearful precipices aboundhere and there, amidst luxuriant groves and uncouth pine barrens,forming altogether a diversity that gives the whole the character of astupendous panorama.

Before we were out of the tide, which for miles flows up the river, ourvessel grounded three times, but after puffing and straining for aconsiderable time, she got off without damage and pursued her onwardcourse. Most of my fellow-voyagers were disposed to be distant andtaciturn, and so I enjoyed the grandeurs of the scene in solitarymusings, to which the steamers, sloops under sail, and other vesselsproceeding up and down the river, gave a pleasant enlivenment. Thepromenade deck, crowded with lady passengers and beautiful children,under a gay awning, added to the cheerfulness of the surrounding aspect,and the fineness of the weather, but for the fear of collapsing boilers,would have made the trip one of great enjoyment.

Another drawback I had nearly forgotten, and as it serves to illustratesteam-boat and indeed all other travelling inconveniences in America, Imust not pass it over; I refer to the vulgarity of the men passengers,who, in default of better occupation, chew tobacco incessantly, and, tothe great annoyance of those who do not practise the vandalism, ejectthe impregnated saliva over everything under foot. The deck of thevessel was much defaced by the noxious stains; and even in converse withladies the unmannerly fellows expectorated without sense of decency. Theladies, however, seemed not to regard it, and one bright-eyed houri Isaw looking into the face of a long sallow-visaged young man, who hadthe juice oozing out at each angle of his mouth with disgusting effect,so that enunciation was difficult.

Some miles up the Hudson, on a high piece of table-land, amidst romanticscenery, stands in prominent relief the military college of West Point.It commands an extensive view, and, was, I believe, an important outpostduring the late war. The young graduates were exercising in parties onthe parade ground under officers, and appeared dressed in dark jacketswith silver-coloured buttons, and light blue trowsers. We saw thetargets used by the graduates in artillery, who practise on the riverbanks; at least, it was so stated by a fellow-passenger, who either was,or pretended to be, acquainted with all the affairs of that college.

Beneath the summit of a high bluff, covered with wood, contiguous tothe college, I observed a monument or obelisk, which I ascertained tohave been erected to the memory of Kosciusko, a Polish patriot, who tooka prominent part in the annihilation of British rule in America. It hada very picturesque effect, and was regarded with feelings of venerationby many of the American passengers, one of whom paid a tribute to thedeparted hero, which he wound up by observing with nasal emphasis andlugubrious countenance, "If twarnt for that ere man, wher'd we be, Iwaunt to know; not here I guess." This sentiment, although I couldscarcely see the point of it myself, elicited half-a-dozen "do tells"and "I waunt to knows" from those around; expressions which, foolish asthey sound to English ears, are in common use in the northern andeastern states, when an individual acquiesces in, or is anxious to knowmore about, what is stated.

As the scenery on the Hudson, although picturesque and highly romantic,savours somewhat of sameness, I shall forbear any further description ofit. No one visiting America should omit, if possible, a passage toAlbany, in order to enjoy, perhaps, the finest natural scenery in theworld.

The individual who delivered the eulogium I have noted on Kosciusko,stated, that at the time of the war, an immense chain cable was thrownacross the river at West Point, to prevent the British vesselsproceeding to the interior, and this they in vain tried to destroy byfiring chain or bar shots.

After a favourable passage, we at length reached Albany, which is anextensive city, and the depot for produce, especially wheat, brought_via_ the Erie Canal from the interior; being, in fact, the storehouseof the trade to and from the interior States of the Union, west, as wellas from Canada and the Lakes. It is finely situated on the west bank ofthe Hudson; many of its inhabitants are descended from the firstcolonists, especially the adventurous and persevering Dutch, who, likethe Scotch, cling with tenacity to the spot they fix upon, and quicklyaccumulate property. This city is continually growing in importance,from the vast number of small capitalists who flock there and settle;and it will eventually, no doubt, vie with New York itself in wealth andimportance. As I determined to make no stay here, but to proceed up theErie Canal to Buffalo, I did not see much of this place, and musttherefore omit any lengthened description of it. From what I did see, itappeared a densely-populated, well-built city, laid out with muchregularity, and boasting of many substantial buildings, several of theedifices being constructed of white marble.

Having secured a passage on board a canal packet about to start, I atonce embarked, and in a few hours after was running up the Erie Canalat the rate of six miles an hour, the boat being towed by four lighthorses of high mettle. The trappings of these animals were of a noveldescription, bells being appended to various parts of the harness, andstreamers, or plumes of white hair and gaudy ribbons, floating in theair from the bridle of each. A postilion, in a suit of grey, with anotter-skin cap, rode on the rearmost or saddle horse, and his_nonchalance_ and perfect command of his team were surprising. This boatwas some sixty yards in length, and constructed only for passengers andtheir luggage. The interior formed a long saloon in miniature, fitted upwith lounges, and tastefully decorated; a promenade on the deck or topfurnishing a good place for exercise. At night our saloon was convertedinto a general dormitory, a portion being partitioned off for theladies, by ranges of shelves being suspended from the sides, on whichwere laid the mattresses, &c. Owing to the number of locks and stoppagesat the miserable towns and villages on the canal banks, our passage toBuffalo took several days; and the country being flat and uninteresting,although divided into farms, which in general appeared to be in a stateof tolerable cultivation, I was not a little relieved when we began toapproach the city.

The formation of the Erie Canal was one of those grand internalimprovements frequently to be met with in that country, and which havecontributed to its general prosperity in no small degree. The projectorof this vast undertaking, De Witt Clinton, is justly esteemed byAmerican citizens, who regard him as a public benefactor, and his nameranks with the founders of their independence. The canal runs, for aconsiderable distance before it reaches Buffalo, parallel with the lake,but separated from it by a sort of artificial sea-wall. As we mergedinto the vicinity of this magnificent inland sea, the sun was shiningbrightly, and gave it the appearance of molten silver. As far as the eyecould reach, a wide expanse of water presented itself, and the distantshores of Canada gave beauty to the scene. At Black-rock we coulddistinguish the sites of the British fortifications, from which in thelast war red-hot cannon-balls were ejected, to the dismay of theterrified Americans, and the destruction of many of their houses.

Buffalo is a flourishing city on the border of Lake Erie, and abouttwenty miles south of the Falls of Niagara. It is within the boundary ofthe state of New York, and has of late years greatly increased inextent, wealth, and population. The old town, quite an inconsiderableplace, on the site of which the present city has risen, phoenix-like,was burnt to the ground during the late war, by some British officers,who made a sortie from the Canada shores; which circumstance, havingbeen handed down from father to son, still rankles in the bosoms of manyof the older inhabitants, who do not fail to state their belief thatretributive justice will eventually be administered by the entiresubjugation of Canada. During my rather prolonged stay in Buffalo, I hadfrequent opportunities of discovering that the most rancorous feelingsexist on the subject; and in proof of this it may be remembered by thereader that the Canadian insurgents were assisted at the lateinsurrection by supplies of stores from this city. These were conveyedto Navy Island by the steamer _Caroline_, which was subsequently seized,and sent over the Falls of Niagara by the British troops, a number ofthe crew being cruelly massacred.

From inquiries made of parties well informed on the subject, both inCanada and the United States, I am convinced that the public act of SirJohn Colborne, before quitting the governorship of the province, in1835, viz., the allotment or appropriation of 346,252 acres of the soil,as a clergy reserve, and the institution of the fifty-seven rectories,was the chief predisposing cause of the insurrection. By this Act acertain portion of land in every township was set apart for themaintenance of "a Protestant clergy," under which ambiguous term, theclergy of the Church of England have always claimed the sole enjoymentof the funds arising from the sale of such portions of land. This islooked upon by dissenters of all denominations as a direct infringementof the original intention of the Act, which they maintain was for thepurpose of aiding the Protestant cause at large against the innovationsof the Roman Catholic Church. Much ill-will and sectarian prejudice arethe natural consequence; in fact, the Act is a perfect apple of discordthroughout the Canadas, and has engendered more animosity and resentmentthan any one legislative act, sanctioned by the Home Government, sincethe acquisition (if so it can he called) of the country. It is anindelible disgrace to England, that such a manifestly bigoted andnarrow-minded policy should have been allowed to continue so long; and Iam fully persuaded that this enactment, which, there is little doubt,originated in sectarianism, perpetuates a degree of rancorous feeling inthe minds of people there, that is sufficient to account for thedisaffection and tendency to rebellion that ever and anon displaysitself; and that to remove this blister, and allow the application ofthese funds to all creeds alike, would be to restore peace, and convertdoubtfully-affected communities to allegiance. If there is oneconsideration that ought to weigh in the minds of the British as apeople, to endeavour to rivet the affections of the Canadians, more thananother, and prevent the ultimate cession of that country to theAmericans, it is, that the dependency affords now the only asylum forthose persecuted outcasts of humanity, the slaves of the United States.Canada, the land of freedom, is associated in their minds withparadisaical thoughts of happiness--and many a heart-stricken creaturein the Southern States of America, as I had many opportunities ofascertaining, toils on in content, with "Canada" in view, as theultimatum of his hopes and the land of his redemption.

The population of Buffalo is fluctuating, owing to the vast number ofemigrants who are constantly arriving, _en route_ to Ohio, Michigan, andthe far West. It averages in population, about ten thousand. The city isnot of great extent, and consists in chief of one principalthoroughfare, called Maine-street, which is wide, the lower partterminating at the water's edge, along which spacious stores are erectedfor the reception of wheat and goods in transit. The harbour is formedby an arm of Lake Erie uniting with Buffalo river. Here are alwayscongregated a large fleet of steamers, many of them of leviathandimensions, which are employed in running to and from Detroit, inMichigan, and the intermediate ports, as well as in the Upper Laketrade. Being quite a depot, Buffalo bids fair, ere the lapse of manyyears, to be the grand emporium of the West. The public buildings do notdeserve much notice; the Eagle Theatre, a joint-stock concern, being theonly building of much interest. There are, however, several spacioushotels, and two or three banks, that boast some architectural merit,although much, I believe, cannot be said as to their stability. Thelateral streets are rather obscure, and, not being regularly built upon,give the city an unfinished look. These are, however, dotted here andthere with chateaux, having good gardens well arranged. The NiagaraRailway station is situated to the left of Maine-street, about half-wayup that premier thoroughfare.

At night the distant moan of the Niagara falls was audible, and this,together with what I had heard and read, made me very anxious to visitthe spot. Accordingly, one splendid morning I started by train for thepurpose. For some miles before we reached Niagara, we constantly heardthe roar of the rushing waters, and were thus prepared for thestupendous scene that burst upon the view, as we alighted at the doorsof that _ne plus ultra_ of modern hostelries, the Pavilion Hotel.

My powers of description will fall short of conveying to the mind ofthe reader the awful grandeur of this cataract, so often commented uponby travellers. The first impression felt by me was, that the wholesubstratum on which I stood, which seemed to tremble, was about to beswept away by the vast inundation. It was not the height of the falls,but the immense body of water, which comprehends, with constantaccumulations from the tributaries on the way, the overflowings of LakesErie, Superior, Michigan, and Huron. The astonishing effect of such abody of water, dashed abruptly over a precipice of 150 perpendicularfeet, may be conceived; such is the momentum of this immense volume offluid, that, when it strikes the rocky bed at the base of the cataract,it rebounds in a thick cloud of vapour--and when the sun's raysintercept it, as was the case when I arrived there, a beautiful rainbowof vivid colours encircles the area of the chasm, and, together with thenatural curiosities and situation of the entire scene, presents to theamazed beholder, the effect of a highly-executed picture in a frame ofsun-light, although far surpassing the productions of human skill, whichmay well be said, in comparison, to sink into utter insignificance.

A large company of visitors were assembled at the time of my arrival,probably from all parts of the world--so that I found it impossible toget a bed, unless I penetrated into the interior with a view to obtainaccommodation at some farm-house, or crossed to the Canada side; but,feeling too tired, after the day's excitement, to pursue either suchcourse, I took an evening train and returned to Buffalo the same day,where I arrived at 9 P.M.

About three miles from Buffalo is an Indian village, called Tonawanda. Ifrequently saw parties of the inhabitants, who resort to the city todispose of their wares and produce. Some of the warriors were fineathletic fellows, of great stature, the lowest I saw being over six feetin height. They were clothed in tanned buck-skin, curiously fringed andornamented with porcupine-quills richly dyed; their squaws (wives) beingenveloped in fine Canadian blue broad cloth, their favourite costume;the crimson or other gaudy-coloured selvedge forming a conspicuousornament.

Like all the aborigines of America, they cling with tenacity to primevalhabits and customs, resisting every attempt made by the whitepopulation, to make or persuade them to conform to civilized life. Theill-usage they have been subjected to by the Americans, may, however,account for this in a great measure. They were described to me by one ofthe residents as a dissipated set of fellows, who squandered all theygot in "fire-water," as they term ardent spirits, and when inebriatedare so quarrelsome that it is dangerous in the highest degree toirritate them.

Not very long after I arrived, a circumstance occurred that threatenedmost fearful consequences. The Indians whom I have before referred towere in the frequent habit, when they came to the city, to dispose oftheir produce (for many of them followed husbandry) of getting so tipsy,that there was continual danger of bloodshed; their natural animosity onsuch occasions being roused with fearful vehemence, so that theauthorities were compelled to adopt some steps to remedy the evil. Itwas no uncommon occurrence to see an Indian waggon by the road-side,with its pair of horses _sans_ driver, who might have been found eitherdrunk or quarreling at the other end of the city. And although thehorses were always impounded, and a fine inflicted, still the nuisancecontinued without abatement, in fact, was rather on the increase. Thenew Mayor, being a man more alive than his predecessor to this evil,caused a regulation to be passed by the Civic Council, that any Indianfound so far the worse for liquor in the streets of Buffalo as to beincapable of taking care of himself, should be punished by being made towork on the high roads for a short period, with an iron ball and chainattached to his leg. When this law was promulgated, there was a strongimpression that the Indians would show resistance. This was soon foundto be a correct view of the case, for not a week had elapsed before twowarriors were brought before the Mayor, and sentenced to ten days'probation at road-mending, in pursuance of the decree. They had,however, only been at work two days in the upper part of Maine-street,in charge of two constables, when a large body of their fraternity,armed _cap-a-pie,_ entered the city, and, with horrid yells andbrandished tomahawks, rescued the culprits, knocked off their chains,and carried them in triumph to the Indian village, amidst fearfulthreats of fire and blood. As this attack was unexpected, no resistancewas offered; and although there was much discussion afterwards, aboutthe laws being vindicated and an example being made, the matter, frommotives, no doubt, of public safety, was allowed to drop, and for thefuture the red men had it all their own way, although there werecertainly signs of amendment, and the evil decreased to a very greatextent. The Indian maxim being, "Firm in friendship but ruthless inwar," there is little doubt that the course pursued on this occasion bythe city authorities, was the best under such circumstances.

Lake Erie is a fine piece of water, being 265 miles long, from Buffaloto Detroit, the two extreme ends, and averaging about 60 miles broad. Atits north-east end it communicates with Lake Ontario and the Canadianshores, by the gut or strait of Niagara. Towards the west end arenumerous islands and banks, which are furnished with light-houses forthe guidance of the mariner. Its waters wash the foot of Maine-street(Buffalo) where they meet the river from which that city takes its name.It is frequently visited by furious gales, which play havoc with thesteamers, many of which are annually wrecked.

While I remained in Buffalo, I took several excursions to the towns thatskirt this beautiful inland sea. On one of these occasions, the steamerwas driven by stress of weather to take shelter in the small harbour ofHuron, some distance up the lake; this we reached with much difficulty,the violence of the sea threatening every moment the total destructionof the vessel. As we entered the harbour, the air rang with a shout ofwelcome from the inhabitants of the place, who had been watching ourperilous progress in great anxiety, and were assembled at the end of thelittle pier. Here we remained for two days and nights, the wind blowingall that time with the fury of a hurricane; the lake, during the storm,presenting the appearance of the sea in a stiff north-wester, thewhite-crested waves rising in violent commotion to a fearful height.

Huron is but a small and uninteresting place, situate in a mostunwholesome locality, lying opposite to a murky swamp, whose poisonousvapours spread disease and death around. It is the highway to Sanduskycity, an inland border town, rendered famous for the obstinacy withwhich the inhabitants and a body of U.S. Infantry defended a fort thereagainst the attacks of the British troops in 1812. Having ascertainedthe captain's intention not to sail until the day following, and itbeing described as a very attractive spot, I hired a horse, and, after aseven miles' ride through a country dotted with farm houses, which had adesolate look, and the lands appertaining to which were subdivided byzigzag log fences (hedges being unknown in the back settlements), Ireached the so-called city, which is built in nearly the form of aparallelogram, the area of greensward having a pretty effect. Here aresome good hotels, and a seminary or college for young ladies, which ismuch patronized by the better classes of the northern and easternstates, especially New York. I looked in vain for the Fort, which has,since the war, been demolished; but the landlord of the hotel at whichI afterwards dined, took me to its site, and related several incidentsthat occurred in connection with the fortress, and the struggle betweenthe belligerent parties at the time. As, however, I considered thesesomewhat apocryphal, from several of his relations failing to hangtogether, and his decided bias against the Britishers, as he called theEnglish, I shall not trouble the reader with the details. After viewingthe place and its suburbs to my satisfaction, and after an excellentdinner of green maize and venison, I rode back to the steamer.

It was towards evening when I arrived; and, as I approached Huron, bythe banks of the creek that divides the swamp I have mentioned, andwhich was unusually swollen, I noticed a canoe that had broken loosefrom its moorings, drifting down the current; a moment afterwards theowner arrived in breathless haste, to endeavour to save it fromdestruction; his exertions were, however, useless, and, finding therewas no alternative, he hailed the bystanders, and offered the reward ofa dollar to any one who would swim to and paddle the canoe on shore;this offer was eagerly caught at by a tall man, of great muscular power,who was amongst the crowd, and who at once threw off his coat andplunged into the stream. This was very rapid, and, after a few momentsbattling with the turbid current, he was overpowered; uttering a loudcry for assistance, which I shall never forget and which rang in my earslike a death knell, he disappeared from the view of the spectators, and,being probably entangled in the trees and debris that were floating downthe torrent, he did not rise again. A loud wail arose from the terrifiedassemblage, who were unable to render the poor fellow any assistance,and who ran about in frantic excitement. The canoe was lost, beingcarried at a rapid rate into the open lake, where it capsized, and sunkimmediately. After dragging for the body for upwards of an hour, it wasfished up from under some logs of timber moored some distance belowwhere the catastrophe occurred. The body being landed and placed on thebank, a loud altercation ensued as to the means to be used to attemptresuscitation--a vain hope--but still persisted in by those assembled.Some wanted to roll it on a barrel, others to suspend it by the heels,that the water might be voided. At length a doctor arrived, and, aftersome inquiry, pronounced effort useless, from the time the body had beenunder water. This at once damped the ardour of the crowd, although itdid not discourage a female, who had taken a prominent part in theoperations, and who, with that true womanly tenderness and solicitudewhich do honour to her sex, and which are nowhere more conspicuous thanin America, insisted upon the corpse being taken to a neighbouringhouse, where, like a ministering angel, she persevered in her effortsfor a considerable time, although of course without effect.

The banks of Lake Erie, in the vicinity of Huron, are thickly studdedwith small trees and coppice wood. This scenery, being interspersed withopen natural meadow-land, gives it a park-like aspect, and several spotswould, graced with a mansion, have formed an estate any nobleman inEurope might have been proud of, the shores of Canada, looming in thehazy distance, giving a fine effect to the scene.

The noise and disagreeable odour arising from the bull-frogs and otherreptiles that infest the swamp opposite the village at night, filled theair, and rendered it impossible for me to sleep. As I lay restless on mybed, I suddenly heard a gun fired, and, starting up in some alarm, Ihastily put on my clothes and descended to the bar of the hotel. Hereseveral of the inmates were assembled, and were preparing to cross thecreek with lanterns, to explore the swamp, cries of distress having beendistinctly heard, as of some benighted traveller who had lost his way.After listening intently, and firing several rifles to guide thewanderer or apprize him that assistance was at hand, the party crossedthe creek in a canoe, and moved along the skirts of the morass,hallooing loudly all the time; the cries, however, heard only atintervals at the commencement, became gradually indistinct, and at lastceased altogether. After an ineffectual search for an hour or more, theparty again turned towards Huron, strongly impressed with the belief,that the unfortunate being had sunk with his horse in the soft bed ofthe swamp, which is some miles in extent, and had perished miserably.The day following, I visited the nearest point from which the cries wereheard, but I could discern no sign of the sufferer, nor could I eventrace footmarks; this, however, is not remarkable, as they wouldspeedily be obliterated by the many reptiles nurtured in the morass. Itwas afterwards questioned, whether the supposed wanderer was only acatamount, a species of jaguar that emits doleful cries at night.

The storm having abated, I soon after returned on board, and in duecourse reached Buffalo, where I had the pleasure of meeting with an oldacquaintance, from whom I had long been separated, and who had delayedhis intended voyage up the lake, to await my return. A large proportionof the population of Buffalo are people of colour, and one quarter ofthe town is almost exclusively inhabited by them; many of these, Iregret to add, are living in a state of degradation pitiable to behold,apparently without the least endeavour being made by their whitefellow-citizens to improve their condition. Some of these colouredpeople keep eating-houses, for the accommodation of those of their owncomplexion, but the greater number are employed as stokers andsteam-boat hands. A few of these men, despite the prejudice that exists(and it is nowhere in the Union more marked than in Buffalo), rise abovethe common level, and by that probity of character and untiring energy,which I believe to be inherent in the race, become men of substance.

One instance of this deserves especial notice, as the subject of it had,entirely by the good qualities mentioned, amassed a fortune, and hadmarried a woman of English birth. I was introduced to this individualsome time after my arrival in Buffalo, and his singularly correct viewsand uprightness of character made me partial to his company. His wifewas a notable, well-informed, good-looking woman, about forty years ofage. Irrespective of colour, I certainly admired her discrimination inthe choice of a partner, although she was looked down upon by the wivesof the white citizens, and, in common with her husband, was almostentirely shunned by them. There may, perhaps, have been a higherconsideration than that of a good settlement to cause an English womanin this instance to marry a dark mulatto; but I was always of opinion,and she confirmed this by hints dropped casually, that the considerationof a fortune had more to do with the alliance than love. This gentlemankept a good house, and had many servants. His wife being fond ofamusements, he hired a box for her use at the Eagle Theatre, which shealways attended alone, the etiquette of the white citizens notpermitting his attendance with her. He appeared almost always in adesponding mood, a tendency arising entirely from the insultingdemeanour used towards him by the citizens; and he frequently talked ofremoving to Canada, or the far West, to avoid the treatment he wassubjected to at the hands of a pack of young scoundrels, who took everyopportunity to annoy and treat him with indignity for marrying a whitewoman. The consequence was, that neither he nor his wife scarcely everventured out. If they did so, it was never in company, and usually afterdark. I was politely offered the use of their box at the theatre duringmy stay, and on one occasion availed myself of the offer. But I neverventured again--the box was evidently marked, and during the performanceI was subjected to the most disgusting remarks and behaviour from theaudience. Indeed, this was carried so far, that I retired long beforethe curtain dropped. So intent were his fellow-citizens on annoyingthis inoffensive man, that soon after he was mobbed in Maine-street bythe young desperadoes I have referred to, who, from their determinedopposition to intermixed marriages, were known in the place as"anti-amalgamists." On this occasion poor P---- nearly lost his life,and, but for running, would, no doubt, have done so; as it was, he wasmuch burnt about the head and neck, the ruffians in the scuffle havingset fire to his frock-coat, which was of linen.

It is rather remarkable that, at St. Louis, on the Missouri, some tenmonths afterwards, I met this very man, he having purchased somegovernment land in a remote part of that state. Our meeting was quiteaccidental, for I crossed the street and accosted him as he was hurryingalong. In the course of our interview he pressed me earnestly to go upthe country with him; but this I declined from motives of prudence, theroute lying through a slave-holding state, where a white and colouredman travelling on terms of equality, would be sure to excite suspicion.He had a small bundle of papers under his arm, and on my remarking heappeared intent on business, he stated they were his free papers, andthat not ten minutes before he had been challenged to produce them; butthis, he said, would not have prevented his arrest and detention in thecity gaol until the authorities of Buffalo had been written to undersuspicion of his being a fugitive, had he not taken the precaution,before he left that city, to obtain from the mayor a certificate of hisintention to proceed to the Missouri country, and the object of hisvisit. He told me that if he liked his purchase, he should build a houseon it, and cultivate the land as a farm, as his continued residence inBuffalo, after the disposition to annoy him shown by the citizens,rendered his stay there out of the question. I afterwards dined with himat his "hotel," which was an obscure tavern in an unfrequented part ofthe city, in and about which I saw several coloured people. I afterwardsascertained that this was what is there derisively termed a "niggerboarding-house," and that the keepers of superior hotels would not thinkof accommodating a coloured person even for a night. From subsequentexperience in such matters, I have no doubt that this version was a trueone.

The hotels and cafes in the Slave States are all frequented by slaveowners and dealers; these would not think of putting up at quarterswhere "coloured folks" were entertained. This distinction is so marked,that no negro would attempt to apply for refreshment at the bar of suchplaces, as the inevitable consequence of such a liberty would berefusal, if not summary ejectment. It is therefore the custom, in allsouthern towns and cities, for the negro population to resort to placeskept expressly for the accommodation of coloured people. These are notalways kept by men of their own complexion, but often by white men, who,having become friendly with them, have lost caste with the whites, andare in fact discarded by them.

In the harbour of Buffalo, I saw two brigs, that during the war in 1812had been captured by the Americans, and sunk somewhere up the lake onthe American side. These had recently been raised by means of apparatusinvented by an ingenious American. They were strong, substantially-builtbrigs, of about 250 tons burden each. I was surprised to find what apreserving effect the lake water had upon the timber, the wood beingalmost black in colour, and so hard that it was difficult to make animpression upon it even with an axe. These vessels had been sold to ashipping company, and were at the time employed, I think, in the Chicagoor Upper Lake trade.

I had frequently heard of the number of rattle and other snakes to bemet with on the banks of the lake, but these have been nearlyexterminated by the settlers. During my stay in the suburbs I only founda few water-snakes, basking in the sun amongst the wilderness ofaquatic plants that cover the surface of the water in the creeks.

The superstitious dread of inhaling the east wind blowing from the mouthof the lake, is now exploded, and is considered in the light of aby-gone tale; although, for three-quarters of a century, it wasconsidered baneful even to the healthy. Consumptive patients are,however, soon carried off, the biting blasts from the Canadian shoresproving very fatal in pulmonary complaints, and the winters being verysevere.

A plentiful supply of excellent fish of various sorts, is procured fromthe lake. These are salted in barrels, and find a ready market in thenorthern and eastern states.

My abode in the city of Buffalo extended over the greater part of ayear, and during this period I had frequent opportunities of witnessingthat tendency to overreach that has, perhaps, with some justice, beencalled a disposition in the generality of Americans to defraud. I do notmean to stygmatize any particular class of men in this imputation, but Imust record my decided conviction, arising from transactions with them,that business with the mass of citizens there is not that upright systemthat obtains with such successful results in the mother country, amongstthose engaged in commercial relations. Perhaps it would be but fair tomake some excuse for men of this class, in a country whose heterogeneouspopulation, and consequent exposure to competition, renders it astruggle to obtain a livelihood. It is notorious that thousands of menin America are obliged, as it were, to succumb to this influence orbecome paupers, and are thus driven out of the paths of strict rectitudeand honesty of purpose, and compelled to resort to all sorts ofchicanery to enable them to make two ends meet. In no instance is thismore observable than in the "selling" propensities of the Americans."For sale" seems to be the national motto, and would form an admirableaddendum to the inscription displayed on the coins, "_E pluribus unum_."Everything a man possesses is voluntarily subjected to the law ofinterchange. The farmer, the land speculator, and the keeper of themeanest grocery or barber's stall, are alike open to "a trade," that is,an exchange of commodities, in the hope or prospect of some profit,honestly or dishonestly, being attached to the transaction. This inducesa loose, gambling propensity, which, indulged in to excess, often leadsto ruin and involvement, and, if absolute beggary is deferred, causesnumerous victims to be perpetually floundering in debt, difficulty, anddisgrace.

CHAPTER III.

"Then blame mo not that I should seek, although I know not thee, To waken in thy heart its chords of holiest sympathy, It is for woman's bleeding heart, for woman's humbled form, O'er which the reeking lash is swung, with life's red current warm." E M CHANDLER

On a fine morning in June, I took my departure from Buffalo, in the lakesteamer _Governor Porter_, for the port of Cleveland in the state ofOhio. The sun was shining on the silvery bosom of the lake, which in adead calm gave it a refulgent glassy appearance. We had not, however,been two hours at sea before the clouds began to collect, and a heavygale came on with rapidity. This continued to increase until the dayfollowing, during which the vessel had passed Cleveland, the place ofmy destination, and was driving before a furious north-wester towardsDetroit, at the head of the lake. The captain stated that all hisendeavours to make the landing-place at Cleveland had been unavailing,but if those passengers whom he had engaged to land there would proceedwith him on the voyage to his destination, he would land them on hisreturn, which he said would probably be in three or four days. As thisoffer necessarily included board, the three passengers, who were in thesame predicament as myself, after a short consultation agreed to acceptit; and as time was not an object to me, I did not demur, for I muchwished to have a view of the country in that direction. Had either of usdissented, the captain would, probably, have landed us at the next port,a result that would have involved the expense and inconvenience of athirty miles' ride, or thereabouts, to Cleveland, in a rough stage, overrougher roads.

The weather moderated towards sunset, and we had a very favourablepassage to the head of the lake, and entering Detroit harbour, whichlies at the foot of the town, I soon after landed, and took a strollinto it. It is not a very populous place, the inhabitants being, Ishould say, under 4000. The houses are in general, heavy dirty-lookingbuildings, though the streets are tolerably wide, and built withregularity. It is, I believe, peopled principally by French and Dutch,who appeared to be in low circumstances, and who follow the usual townoccupations.

This town, which is essentially Gaelic in appearance, is situated on thewest side of the strait, between Lakes St. Clare and Erie, and is withinsight of Malden in Canada, with the shores of which province a constanttrade or communication is kept up by steam. Here is situated anextensive government agency for the sale of land in Michigan; whither,at the time, vast numbers of new settlers were daily proceeding insearch of homes and happiness. I saw many of these on their way, and asthey toiled to their new homes, they looked haggard, forlorn, andabject; and I thought I could distinguish in almost all, especially thewomen, an aspect of grief that indicated they were exiles, who had leftbehind all that tended to make life joyous and happy, to seek aprecarious existence in an unknown wilderness. As the town afforded fewattractions, the only place of amusement being a temporary theatricalexhibition, I was not a little rejoiced when the vessel again starteddown the lake, which she did with every advantage of favourable weather.In due course we reached Cleveland, and, as I was anxious to proceedonwards, I took but a cursory view of the place, which is, likeDetroit, situated on a somewhat rising ground. It appeared a thrivingtown, and the hotels were in general superbly fitted up.

As I was strolling towards the canal to take my passage to the Ohioriver, a little incident occurred, which, as it illustrates a very oldadage, I will not omit. Passing some low-built houses near the canal, myattention was arrested by the screams of a female, who uttered loudcries for assistance.

Hastening to the door of the house from which the alarm proceeded, Ilifted the latch in great trepidation, when I saw a man just about tostrike a woman (who proved to be his wife) with an uplifted chair. Thefellow was vociferating loudly, and appeared in a towering passion. Myfirst impulse was to cry out "Drop it!" when, lo! as if I had, likeKaterfelto, the by-gone professor of legerdemain, cried "Presto," thescene changed, and both man and woman, who were Americans of the lowerclass, commenced bullying me in right earnest. I made my retreat withsome difficulty, as they seemed, both of them, inclined to serve meroughly for my well-intentioned, though, perhaps, mistimed interference.As I made my escape, however, I intimated, pretty loudly, that I shouldat once apply to a magistrate on the subject, a threat, by-the-bye, thatwas little regarded, and only increased the showers of abuse levelledat me. As my appealing to a magistrate would be of little avail in thecase of a family jar, and would certainly have entailed inconvenienceand delay, I did not carry my threat into execution, wondering, at thesame time, at my temerity in interfering in a quarrel between man andwife, which I now practically learnt, for the first time in my life, wasto incur the unmitigated anger of both, and to learn how true it is that

"Those who in quarrels interpose, Must oft expect a bloody nose."

I visited the portion of the town appropriated by the Mormons as aresidence. Here, in the midst of their dwellings, they had erected atemple for worship, which, on their emigrating west, their arch-leader,Smith, prophesied would, by the interposition of heaven, be destroyed byfire. The prophecy was verified as to the fact, but heaven had, itappeared, little to do with it; for it was ascertained to be the work ofan incendiary of their sect, who was detected and brought to condignpunishment.

I was afterwards informed by an American gentleman, to whom I had aletter of introduction, and who had been a great sufferer by theseimpostors, that some time before the great body of Mormons migrated tothe interior, they started a bank. Having managed to put a vast numberof their notes in circulation, for which they received produce, theyclosed the doors, and left the public to be losers by their nefariousschemes. I had the misfortune myself, in my ignorance, to take from adishonest store-keeper a ten-dollar bill of this spurious currency, anddid not detect the imposture until I offered it to the captain of theboat I had engaged a passage in to _La Belle Riviere_, as the Ohio iscalled. I must mention, however, that I took it previously to theinterview with the gentleman I have adverted to, and actually, withoutknowing it, had the note in my pocket-book when he mentioned the defaultof these pseudo bankers. I paid ten dollars for a useful lesson.

The passengers from Cleveland formed a motley group; for, irrespectiveof French, Dutch, Americans, and Canadians, we had on board eight or tenfamilies of the Mormon sect, following in the wake of their leaders,Smith and Rigdon, to their new settlement in the far west. These peoplewere very reserved, and seemed inclined to keep aloof from theirfellow-passengers. This, however, may be accounted for by the prejudiceso justly existing at the time against them, as a body, from the causesI have already mentioned; in fact, the indignation of the people couldhardly be kept in check by the authorities, and lynching was resortedto on more than one occasion. The men were clothed in drab broad-cloth,and wore large white hats; their garb altogether resembling that of themore respectable Society of Friends, in America. The resemblance,however, ceases with the dress, for, if reports speak true, and they aremany-tongued, they are very exceptionable in their morality and generalprinciples, amongst other peculiarities, polygamy being allowed, for theavowed purpose of extending and perpetuating the sect.

Our progress was pretty rapid, though it lay through an uninterestingcountry, in many parts uncultivated and barren-looking. Massillon is avery flourishing town, with some good stores and two or three hotels. Asthe captain was obliged to make a short stay here, I went into the townand, stepping into an hotel to procure a cigar, I found a companyengaged in earnest conversation, interrupted at intervals by loudlaughter. On inquiry, I was told that the landlord had that morning beenplayed a Yankee trick by a travelling pedlar, who had stopped theprevious night at his house. It appeared that the same man had somemonths before practised on the landlord; but, either supposing thematter blown over and forgotten, or, what is more likely, with a view toput another of his arts into exercise, he again put up at the samehouse. The proprietor, however, at once recognized the pedlar, andafter taxing him with the cheat he had practised on the former occasion,wound up his lecture by stating, in true American style, that if heagain succeeded in cheating him he would forego the amount of his tavernexpenses. The man exclaimed, "Done," and at once it appeared set hiswits to work to obtain the object. A few hours after the conversation,the fellow brought in from his waggon some boxes of fancy goods, andendeavoured to induce the landlady to purchase. This, however, no doubtprompted by her husband, she resolutely refused, and he had them removedto his room upstairs, as is customary. After breakfast, the followingmorning, he called the landlady aside and said he forgot the day beforeto show her a fancy quilt of superior workmanship, and if she would onlylook at it he would be satisfied, as it was one of great beauty. Sheconsented to this, and the man at once went to his waggon, which was nowat the door, he being about to start, and brought in a box whichcontained, amongst numerous other articles, the quilt he had beeneulogizing. The landlady was much taken with its appearance, and aftersome little persuasion consented to become the purchaser. Accordingly,the bargain was concluded, and the balance between his tavern bill andthe article in question was handed over at the hotel bar to the pedlar,who at once started from the house, the landlord on his doing sojocosely remarking on the conversation of the previous day, in reply towhich the wily pedlar observed, that "he guessed it was all right." Soonafter the man left, the landlady called her spouse to the inner room,and showing him her bargain, said she had been induced to buy the quilt,because it was an exact match for the one in the large room up-stairs.This led to a female help (as servants are there called), beingdespatched to the room to fetch and compare the original with that newlypurchased. The girl speedily returned in the greatest consternation,saying it had vanished. The truth now became apparent; the artful pedlarhad actually sold the landlady her own quilt!

This ludicrous circumstance led to the confusion I had noticed when Iarrived; the man had gone they knew not whither, and had it beenpossible to overtake him, I question whether he would have been pursued,the cleverness of the trick being highly applauded by the company, andthe landlord feeling, perhaps, ashamed of being outwitted a second time,after himself giving the challenge. The ingenuity of American pedlars incozening their countrymen, has long been proverbial, and in general,people are wary of them; they have, however, I suppose by longpractice, become such adepts at roguery, that however alive to theirpropensities, folks are daily victimized by such men. It was nothing newto hear a roguish action applauded, but on this occasion the companywere vociferous in his praise, and declared they would certainlypatronize him when he came that way again, for he deservedencouragement.

After strolling through the town, which presented little worthrecording, I again returned to the boat, which proceeded on its way. Ihad frequently heard and read of those vast flocks of wild pigeons whichperiodically pursue their flight to milder latitudes: and, as the boatwas now approaching the centre of the state of Ohio, where myriads ofthese birds were seen the year before, I anxiously watched the horizonfor their appearance. For several days, however, I was doomed todisappointment, and gave it up in despair; but a day or two after, whenin the vicinity of the Tuscarawas river, it being about noon, thehelmsman suddenly called out, "A field of pigeons." This announcementcalled all hands to the promenade deck of the packet. Looking in thedirection indicated, a heavy black cloud appeared in the far horizon;this seemed to extend from right to left, and was so dense that thenovices amongst us at once pronounced it, either a mistake or a hoax.The helmsman declared that it was neither, and that we should soon beconvinced of it. The cloud seemed now gradually and visibly to spread;in truth, the whole firmament in that direction was totally obscured. Bythis time a general rummage had commenced in the boat for fire-arms; thecaptain hailed the driver on the towing path, who pulled up, and theboat was moored by the canal side. We now landed, intending to replenishthe larder of the vessel with what, to most of the passengers, was arare treat. On the left bank of the canal, and on the banks of theriver, which here ran parallel with it, was a forest of gigantic trees;and, as the birds were evidently making in that direction, it wasdecided that all those who wished to take part in the expected sport,should proceed, and wait their passing this spot, in the hope that somewould settle on the branches of the trees. Accordingly, after crossingthe river by a rude bridge, which was very nearly half a quarter of amile in length, we reached the intended spot after wading up to ourknees in a swamp or turbary, and getting miserably bemauled by thebriars and cane vines. We had not to wait long; the birds, wearied by along flight, were evidently attracted by the favourable resting-place,and in less than a quarter of an hour, the air was darkened with thehosts hovering over our heads; the sound of their wings defiesdescription, those of my readers who remember the peculiar noise made bya single pigeon in its flight, may form a faint idea by multiplying thesound a million times. It in fact filled the air, and produced astartling effect. Thousands of the birds alighted on the trees, thebranches of which snapped and crackled fearfully under thesuperincumbent load; those of our party who were armed, continued tofire and load as fast as they possibly could. They brought hundreds tothe ground, but still, through weariness, perhaps, the rest kept theirstation on the branches, and did not appear to heed the attackmuch--shifting their position or only flying off for a moment and thenagain alighting. By this time many of the settlers from the surroundingdistricts had arrived to share in the quarry. Thousands of birds werebrought to the ground; in fact, every discharge of the guns and riflesbrought down showers to our feet; and the noise seemed to resemble ourbeing engaged in action with a foe; without, however, the dire effectsof such a rencontre to ourselves. After bagging our game, of which wesecured nearly two hundred brace, we returned to the boat, leaving therest of the sport to those who chose to continue it. We had enough, and,for the remainder of the passage, were completely surfeited with pigeonfare, administered by the boat's cook in all sorts of outlandish forms.In our progress onward through the state, we saw many carcases of thesebirds outside the villages, such numbers having been destroyed, that theinhabitants could not consume them, and they were accordingly thrown outas refuse. These birds were in good condition, and were excellenteating.

As the packet was likely to be detained for some hours at Zoar, asettlement about two miles beyond Bolivar, owing to a dispute betweenthe captain and some officers connected with the canal, I availed myselfof the opportunity, on the invitation of a very gentlemanlyfellow-passenger from Connecticut, to visit a farm a few miles in theinterior, where resided a celebrated character, named Adam Poe, surnamedby the inhabitants, the "Indian-killer," who had acquired the summit ofa backwoods-man's fame, by some forty years ago shooting "Black-foot," aformidable Indian marauder, who, for a long period, spread consternationand alarm among the early settlers. As this exploit (whether justifiedby the circumstances and times or not, I cannot pretend to say) was onethat restored security among the settlers, and dispersed a body ofIndians, who destroyed every white inhabitant they encountered, and laidwaste their farms, it is no wonder that Adam Poe was regarded as a greatman. On arriving at the farm-house, which was one of the betterdescription in that region, we were kindly welcomed by the son of thehero I have mentioned, who bore the father's patronymic, and after theusual hospitality, were ushered into an adjoining apartment, andintroduced to the object of our visit. He was sitting in an armchair bythe side of his wife, who, like himself, was far advanced in years,their united ages numbering 173. The old man, who was so feeble as to beunable to rise when we entered, saluted us with the usual "Glad to seeyou, strangers," his spouse at the same time advancing towards us toshake hands. He was evidently used to such intrusions; for, afterinquiry where we came from and whither bound, he began, in a tremulousvoice, which, from his extreme age, was scarcely intelligible, tonarrate his early adventures. It was absolutely shocking, as he becamemore animated by the subject, to hear the coolness with which theveteran related some of his bloody combats; so much so, indeed, that Iand my companion at once cut short his narration, being horrified at theturpitude of the aged sinner, who, although gasping for breath, andevidently on the verge of the unseen world, talked of his deeds ofviolence with an ardour that befitted a better cause.

The old man dwelt at great length on his hair-breadth escapes and deedsof prowess; but the destruction of the implacable "Black-foot," was theabsorbing subject. This chief, it appeared, had, with a small party,been hovering round Poe's farm for several nights, and the inmates werein great terror of a midnight attack; the principal aim of the chief,being, it is supposed to despatch a man, whose activity had rendered himparticularly obnoxious to his tribe, and whose bravery was acknowledgedby the settlers far and near.

After several nights passed in anxiety, every little circumstance, anyunusual noise, the baying of a dog, a disturbance in the hog-pens,exciting the greatest apprehension, Poe determined on stealthilywatching the enemy under covert of a hillock or embankment on the farm.He accordingly sallied out with his Indian rifle, in the haze of theevening, taking with him a supply of _aqua vitae,_ as he facetiouslysaid, to keep up his "dander." After watching a considerable time, everynow and then applying his ear to the ground to listen for approachingfootsteps (a plan invariably followed by Indians themselves), heascertained that an Indian was in the vicinity; again intentlylistening, he soon satisfied himself that the alarm he had experiencedwas occasioned by one individual only. Instantly on the _qui-vive,_ hefirst cocked his rifle, and, just as he descried the Indian's headabove the embankment he pulled with unerring aim the fatal trigger, whenwith an agonizing howl, the Indian toppled backwards down theembankment, and all was silent. Poe now sprang forward, and with hisknife severed the "war scalp" from the head of the savage, and aftersecuring his knife and rifle, returned to his home in high glee toannounce the horrid achievement. It was, however, deemed unsafe toventure out again that night, for fear of other Indians of Black-foot'sband, who it was well known were in the neighbourhood.

In the morning Poe sallied out to the place of reconnoitre with some ofthe inmates of the farm. Here they found, stretched on the ground,weltering in gore, the vanquished warrior, who was now, for the firsttime, from a plume he wore, and some other peculiarity in hisequipments, identified as the veritable "Sachem," who had for monthskept that settlement in a state of alarm. Poe was soon complimented bythe settlers around, and from that day forward became a celebratedcharacter.

I was subsequently told on board the canal packet, that the Indianreferred to, was not the notorious chief of that name, but a second-ratewarrior, who, having headed a band of marauders, ***med the soubriquet.How far this may be the fact, I cannot determine. I, however,frequently heard Poe's name mentioned as a brave defender of thehearths and homes of the early settlers in the remote districts of Ohio.

I could perceive that his son's wife (a matronly dame of about sixty),was adverse to such interviews, as, to use her expression, "they broughtthe old man back to this world again, when he should be pondering on thenext," and that she was grieved at the recital of them; indeed, sheseveral times checked his expressions, when they bordered, as they notunfrequently did, on impiety. She acted rightly, for there was evidentlymuch more of the soldier than the Christian about the old man, andbefore we left I expressed a hope that such visits would be discouraged,a suggestion that was received in a kindly spirit.

After inspecting the farm, which was well stocked, and appeared to becultivated in the most approved modern style, and was well fenced withthe usual rails, we started on our return to Zoar, where the packet hadhalted. On our way thither, we passed through a hamlet of primitiveappearance, consisting of some half-dozen houses built of logs, at oneend of which was a rudely-constructed meeting-house, belonging to thesect of Whitfieldite Methodists. The congregation was assembled, and thehorses and vehicles belonging to those who resided at a distance, weretethered and my companion passed, the occupants were chanting a hymnprevious to the discourse, which it appeared was a valedictory one, theminister being about to leave this for a more extensive field ofpastoral labour. Having time to spare, and such an assembly on aweek-day attracting our attention, from its rarity, we stepped in, andremained during the whole of the service, arriving at Zoar a few minutesbefore the boat started.

As we passed through a densely-wooded district between Bolivar andChillicothe, I observed that for many miles the trees were denuded ofevery green leaf, from the devastating effects of millions of locusts,which periodically visit the western states of the Union, to the dismayof the settlers. The trees in many places were at the time covered withthese destructive insects. I went on shore and procured several, withthe intention of preserving them. They were beautiful creatures, aboutten times the size of an ordinary field grasshopper, and, except thattheir hind legs were longer in proportion to their size, the exact shapeof that harmless little insect. Their colours are brilliant green,slate, and flamingo red, beautifully lined and variegated. The hummingnoise produced by these insects is very disagreeable, and fills thesurrounding air with murmurs, while the wilderness look of the scene oftheir depredations has a depressing effect on the mind of thetraveller. Their visits are much dreaded, as they are followed by thetotal destruction of foliage in the district, and in many instances, theyoung saplings die in consequence of their attacks.

After a pleasant passage of four or five days, the packet arrived at theriver junction; and taking passage at once in a steamer which waswaiting its arrival in the Ohio river, I was soon rapidly on my way tothat fairy city of the west, Cincinnati. This is the largest city in thestate of Ohio, and is the capital of Hamilton county. Fort Washington, adefence of some renown during the war, is two miles above, and oppositeto the mouth of the Licking river. The broad bosom of the Ohio was herecovered with steam-boats, employed in the Virginia, Missouri, and NewOrleans trade. The wharves are commodious, and a broad inclined plane,from the city to the water's edge, gives the former a fine appearance,as it rests majestically in the background.

As I was anxious to proceed to the State of Missouri, with as littledelay as possible, I at once engaged a passage to St. Louis, and thefollowing morning was steaming in the direction of the falls of St.Anthony. The passengers in this boat employed themselves nearly thewhole of the route at games of cards, _faro_ being the favourite. Thispredilection for gambling, which is generally carried to great extremeson board southern boats, was not, however, confined to the cabin, for Inoticed the crew, at every spare interval, sitting about on deck, withpacks of cards, completely absorbed in the game. The negro hands wereparticularly addicted to this vice, and a gentleman who was proceedingin the boat informed me that but a trifle of the earnings of boat-handsin general was spared from their devotedness to this ruinous practice.The effect of association with, and the example set by, white men givento gambling, will account, perhaps, for the habit. This moral pestilenceis in vain prohibited by the state, and is pursued by all classes in thesouth with frenzied avidity.

After twice running on shore, and meeting with sundry other stoppagesand minor mishaps, through the mismanagement of the two engineers, wereached the city of St. Louis, to the gratification of myself andfellow-passengers. This is a place of considerable extent, althoughawkwardly built, and for the most part irregularly laid out. It is aconsiderable fur depot of the Hudson Bay Company; and there is arecruiting station, from whence start expeditions of trappers to theRocky Mountains. I saw a large party of these adventurers, who wereabout to start on an expedition to these remote confines. It consistedentirely of young Frenchmen and Hollanders, who are preferred for theservice by the company. They were of slight make, and little calculated,from their appearance, to encounter the hardships of such a life; but Iwas told they soon become hardened, and return strong, athletic men. Theemployment is, however, beset with danger, from the hostile dispositionsof the various tribes of Indians in the western wilds, who view theirintrusion with vindictive feelings, and seize every opportunity ofattacking and annihilating small parties, notwithstanding theirprofessions of friendship. Not long after my arrival, a party oftrappers arrived from the Upper Missouri in two boats, which were loadedwith buffalo and other furs. The stalwart look of these hardymountaineers proved the hardening effect of their mode of life. Theywere brawny fellows of a ruddy brown complexion, of the true Indian hue,and habited in skins. These men, I ascertained, had been in themountains for four or five years, during which time they had subsistedentirely on Buffalo and other meat, bread not being used or cared for.Their healthy look under such circumstances completely shook my faith inthe Brahminical vegetarian theory, and goes far, I think, to prove thatman was intended by his Maker to be a carnivorous animal.

Just before the steamer approached the city, a circumstance occurred onboard that filled me and my fellow-passengers with horror. We weretaking breakfast in the cabin, congratulating each other on the neartermination of our tedious passage, when a sudden shriek, followed byshouts from the deck-hands of the vessel, disturbed our meal. Hasteningin great perturbation to the deck, we soon discovered the cause of thedisturbance. One of the white waiters was lying on the deck, with afrightful gash in his side, from which the blood was fast oozing. Ourfirst care was to attend to the sufferer, and a surgeon beingfortunately amongst the passengers, the hemorrhage was soon abated, butthe wound was pronounced to be of a fatal character. The poor fellow,who was a lad of about eighteen years of age, moaned piteously. Everyattention that skill and kindness could suggest was paid to him. He wasimmediately carried to a state-room in the cabin, where he remained ingreat agony until the vessel was moored alongside the levee, when he wascarefully removed on a litter to a hospital on shore. The perpetrator ofthe savage act proved to be a negro, filling the office of assistantcook. The passengers were very clamorous, and would, without doubt, havehanged the culprit immediately, had it not been for the interference ofthe captain, who, after a curt examination, had him pinioned and takenbelow. From the version given of the affair by the negroes who witnessedit (but which was contradicted by two white men who were on the spot), Iwas inclined to think the crime was committed under feelings of greatprovocation, the negro, as is commonly the case on board steam-boats,having been for a long time browbeaten by the victim of the sadcatastrophe, and subjected to very insolent and overbearing treatment athis hands. The culprit, who was a very sullen, stolid-looking, full-brednegro, refused to answer the questions put to him on the subject, andcertainly manifested a careless indifference to consequences that wasnot in his favour; his fierce scowl denoting great ferocity, in allprobability induced by long ill-treatment. As soon as convenienceallowed, some officers from the shore came on board and secured theprisoner, who was conveyed by them to the city gaol, to await theinvestigation of the outrage by the civic authorities and the result ofthe injury committed. The victim of revenge died a few days after theoccurrence in excruciating agony. It will scarcely be believed that theperpetrator of the deed, after a short confinement, was spirited away upthe country, no doubt at the connivance of the authorities, and sold!

Thus, justice is often defeated, from pecuniary considerations in theSlave States of America, where, if a slave commits even the heinouscrime of murder, the ordinary course of the law is interfered with tosave the owner from loss. This of itself is sufficient to stamp for everas infamous the social cancer of slavery, and brands as ridiculous, theboasted regard for justice, so pragmatically urged in the southernstates of the American continent.

A mile or two from St. Louis, on the Carondelet road, are situatedspacious infantry barracks, named after Jefferson, one of the formerpresidents of the Union, where troops are stationed in readiness to actagainst the various tribes of Indians in the Upper Missouri country, whosometimes show a disposition to be hostile. A reserve of troops is moreparticularly needful for the protection of the inhabitants; for, eitherfrom mismanagement or an aggressive spirit, the Government iscontinually embroiled with the aboriginal tribes in harassing andexpensive warfare. This state of things acts as a perpetual blister, andhas engendered a rancorous enmity between the Indians and their whiteneighbours, to the great detriment of peaceful agricultural pursuits bythe latter, and the periodical perplexity of the Chancellor of theAmerican Exchequer; whereas, a conciliating policy would not only keepthe tribes in close friendship, but secure their services as valuableallies in case of emergency--a point that may possibly suggest itselfeventually to the executive, if the rampant spirit of aggrandisement nowabroad continues to govern the public mind in America.

Soon after landing, I was accosted by a middle-aged gentlemanly man, onthe subject of the outrage on board the boat, and as he appeared to haveless of that swaggering air about him than most men in the southpossess, I entered freely into conversation with him, and in a veryshort time our interchange of sentiments created a mutual partiality,that led to his inviting me to pass the following evening at his house,a result I rather wished for, as he manifested a disposition to informme fully on several questions I put to him relative to the state I wasnow in and my future movements; moreover, he seemed somewhat attached tothe English, or rather was not strong in his prejudices against them.

I accordingly repaired to his residence at the time appointed. This wassituated in one of the lateral streets of the city leading to theoutskirts, and, although not large, was furnished with great taste andelegance. His lady, who was, I think, from Illinois, made herself veryagreeable, her kind attentions tending to confirm the impression Ialready entertained of her countrywomen; they had no children, and thehusband was engaged in some way with the Fur Company established in St.Louis. I was entertained with great hospitality; my kind host materiallyassisting me by information, &c. in my intention to pursue my routesouth.

He was the son of a New Englander, or native of one of the easternstates; his father having fought at Bunker's Hill, and otherwise takenan active part in the struggle for independence, between the years 1776and 1785. This made it the more extraordinary that he should treat anEnglishman with the courtesy he showed to me, especially as under suchcircumstances a bias is in general handed down from father to son, whichoperates prejudicially to my countrymen.

After putting a variety of questions, as to the "old country" as hetermed Great Britain, on which I readily satisfied his curiosity, heentered into a detail of some of the stirring events relating to theperiod of his father's career in arms against the British; some of thesewere of a thrilling character, and strongly depicted the miseries ofwar, presenting a lamentable picture of the debasing influence ofsanguinary struggles on the human mind. The barbarous mode of harassingthe British troops, by picking off stragglers, which the lower orders ofAmericans pursued, in most instances for the sake of the wretchedclothing and accoutrements of the victims, the former being dyed of adark colour, and sold for a dollar per set (as he called the militarysuit), to the American citizen-soldiers, fairly made my blood creep; oneinstance in particular filled me with horror, for it was a cold-bloodedmurder of the deepest dye I must, however, do the narrator the justiceto say that he viewed the atrocity in the same light as I did.

The occurrence I am about to relate, took place somewhere on the banksof the Hudson, below West Point, where a force of British troops wereencamped or pursuing their operations under the protection of somevessels of war lying in the stream, he mentioned the exact spot where itoccurred, but I have forgotten it. It appeared that this force washarassed and beset by parties of citizens, who, by pursuing a guerillasystem of warfare, surprising small parties, and firing entirely inambush, made great havoc amongst the rank and file of the invaders,almost every straggler falling a victim. One evening, during this stateof things, two of the citizens, whilst prowling in a coppice, within afew miles of the camp, on the look-out, came suddenly upon an infantrysoldier, who was off his guard at the moment, and whose firelock wasresting against a tree; the foremost of the Americans darted forward andseized the weapon, while the second captured the wretched soldier. Underordinary circumstances, and in more honourable hands, the man wouldhave been conveyed as a prisoner of war to the American camp, butplunder being their object, this would not answer the purpose of themiscreants, the most resolute of whom ordered the captive (who was a ladof seventeen or eighteen), to take off his jacket. Knowing this was apreliminary step to his being shot, he fell on his knees and imploredmercy. His captors were, however, inexorable, and he began to crybitterly, and besought them to spare his life; these manifestations had,however, no effect on his deadly foes, who now threatened to fell himwith the butt end of a fusee if he did not comply: this had the effect,and the poor captive reluctantly pulled off the jacket and threw it onthe ground; this was immediately picked up by one of the party, to avoidits being stained with the life-blood of the victim. Withdrawing now afew paces, one of the Americans took a deliberate aim; the young soldierinstantly turned to run, but as he wheeled round for the purpose (forhis enemies were facing him), a ball entered his left side, just underthe armpit, and springing frantically several feet into the air, he felldead to the ground. He was then stripped, and left on the spot.

This horrid relation I should have thought, for the credit of hiscountry, an American would have kept secret; but as I before observed,he was by no means disposed to take the part of these so-calledpatriots, although he stated that many atrocities were committed by theBritish, some of which he related, and which were, he said, neverrecorded; these, I fear, if exposed, would not much redound to theircredit with the present generation.

At first I could not understand why the soldier was ordered before beingshot to pull his jacket off; this he explained by saying, that a rent inthe garment made by the ball of a fusee, would have lessened its value;and further, that the American soldiers were averse, from superstitiousfear at the time, to wearing any article of dress in which an enemy hadyielded his breath; notwithstanding which repugnance, the Americansoldiers not long after dismissed the objection, from the extremescantiness of the clothing afforded them.

On my intimating the abhorrence I felt at the relation, my entertainerinformed me that it was impossible at the time to prevent suchoccurrences, the annihilation of the invaders was the _primum mobile_ ofall Americans, and many citizens harassed the enemy on their ownaccount, the principle being the same on which European vessels bearingletters of marque, are suffered to waylay and seize, for the purpose ofprivate gain, the merchant vessels belonging to the country with whichthey are at war. Such atrocities, as he remarked, however horrifying in